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Kontilies [pron. "Kon-dil-yez"] are a
form of music/dance from the island of Crete in Greece, where I
spent some time from 2000-2001. Kontilies generally consist of
simple repeated motifs that in the hands of a good musician can
become a hypnotic moment of dazzling complexity and
virtuosity.

Whenever I heard this style performed on the
lyra (a Cretan bowed lute), I wanted to capture the same sound
and feeling on the recorder. However I was unsure if it was
possible to create that incessant trance-like flow, simply
because of the need to breathe. When I tried to achieve this idea
through circular breathing, I felt that I had come close to the
sound I wanted. So while I have titled this piece after the
musical genre, I am not following the style strictly, but
attempting to recreate the feeling that so captivated me when I
heard it. Another element sometimes used in this style of music
is the drone. The middle section of this piece captures that
aspect by using a sung moving drone underpinning the
melody.

Published by: Australian Music Centre — 1 set of 2 performance parts (8p. -- A4 (portrait))